As I mentioned on Friday, Saturday was my 6 year blog anniversary. I celebrated by hosting a gathering of fiber friends at my home and we had such a great time! We had a potluck lunch with some really yummy food – black bean soup and couscous salad, macaroni and cheese, spinach and mushroom pizzas, delicious meatballs, salad, spinach pie and more! We had Bloody Mary’s and wine and beer and (eventually for those that stayed long enough) Pomtinis. There was delicious apple tart and chocolate cake for dessert.

Better and more important than all the food and drink, though, were the friends. Close friends who have become a part of my life in a way I never anticipated when I started this blog. Friends who teach me things and inspire me. Friends who are always there when I need them, whether it’s for a good cry or a hearty laugh. Real friends who share my passion for all things fiber and who were excited to come and hang out with me for a day.

I love all the laughing going on in this photo.

I love that there were bags being purchased by credit card, right in my own living room.

I love that there were spinners and knitters wearing orange.

And I love that there was crocheting and spinning and knitting, all at the same time.

I couldn’t ask for a better way to spend a Saturday.

Yes, I bought more tulips last week. They were on sale and I just couldn’t resist. And, just like a wine dinner, they really brighten up the month of January.

Tomorrow is the 6 year anniversary of Carole Knits and I have a big celebration planned. Come back Monday and I’ll tell you all about it!

On Tuesday night my grrlfriends Wendy, Sharon, Lois and I attended a wine dinner at a local restaurant. The four of us hadn’t been all together for a fun night out in ages so this was way overdue. And it was way fun!

The wines were all from Cupcake Vineyards and the spokesperson for the company was entertaining and informative. He introduced each course and explained why the wine would accompany that particular food. He talked about how wine should be fun and not pretentious and he encouraged us to taste and think about why we liked what we liked. He also walked around and answered questions while pouring wine.

There were 4 different wines, one for each course. With the grilled romaine salad we had a Chardonnay. With the red pepper bisque we had a Sauvignon Blanc. With the rolled and stuffed pork tenderloin we had a Malbec. Finally, with the chicken we had Red Velvet, a blend of Zinfandel, Merlot and  Cabernet Sauvignon. The Red Velvet was definitely my favorite. I’m no wine connoisseur but it was full bodied and fruity and a little bit spicy. I think Sharon and I are going to split a case, that’s how much I liked this one.

Four glasses of wine along with some really delicious food and the company of my dear grrlfriends made for a memorable evening. It was just the thing to brighten up a Tuesday night in January.

As you may have heard, we’ve had a lot of snow around here lately. I’m not happy about it but it’s winter and it’s a fact of life in these parts. One thing I do like about it, though, is the excellent backdrop it provides for the hand knits.

These are my first pair of finished socks for 2011. It’s no surprise that they are my picot edge socks.

It may be a surprise, though, that they are knit from Opal Petticoat and not from a hand dyed skein of something yummy. The truth is, I chose this yarn because I needed to cast on in a hurry and Opal is already wound into a center pull ball. The benefit is that Opal wears like iron. And also, the colors are perfect since my stepdaughter Jessica loves yellow.

I gave them to her the other night and she is thrilled. Jess always says when I knit her a pair of socks, “wow, they fit like they were made just for me.” And then I always say, “that’s because they were made just for you.”

It’s one joke that never grows old around here.

In the midst of winter a grrl needs as much help as possible to make herself not only look good but feel good, too. Hence the inspiration for this week’s Ten on Tuesday theme: 10 Favorite Health and Beauty Products.

1. Blessed Juno Soap. I absolutely love this soap made by my friend Laurie. My favorite is New Day but all of her soaps are wonderful. The last time I visited Margene I bought so much that my suitcase was over the weight limit when I got to the airport!
2. Woolen Rabbit Hand Cream. Kim’s hand cream is thick and luscious and smells of lavender. I keep it right next to my spot on the couch.
3. Make Up For Ever Glitters. The perfect glittery eye make up for places like Las Vegas and nights like New Year’s Eve.
4. Arbonne Pampermint Foot Cream. I don’t think they make this anymore but I have a tub of it and I  slather it on my heels every night. It really helps with the drying and cracking that comes from going barefoot so much.
5. Opi Nail Polish. If your toes are going to be bare they ought to be pretty, too. I treat myself to a mani/pedi every two weeks year round. Yes, I walk out of the nail salon in flip flops in the dead of winter. The things I do for beauty. Sheesh.
6. Shaper  Hairspray. I swear by this stuff. They changed the formula a year ago and I had a fit. Luckily they still have the older spray available, too.
7. Blistex. I started using this when I was a little girl because it was what my grandfather used and I’ve been hooked on it’s menthol soothing nature ever since. I have a tube in my purse, a tube by the couch, a tube by my bed, and a tube at my desk at work. I take my lip ointment very seriously.
8. Clinique 3 Step Regimen. Another tried and true method for me – I’ve been using Clinique since my freshman college roommate introduced me to it. I’ve tried different products over the years but always end up going back to this stuff because it works.
9. Sephora Collection Dry Oil Apple Pomegranate. Hannah got me this for Christmas and I love it. You spray it on after your shower but before you towel yourself dry. I smell a little like a Yankee Candle but it has definitely helped with dry skin this winter.
10. Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion. It’s unscented and really works and I use it copious amounts.

Those are my must haves. I think it’s a nice mix of artisan and mass produced products. How about you? What beauty products do you use regularly?

Hello! It’s Monday! And it’s freakin’ cold here in Massachusetts. What a way to start the week.

So, how was your weekend? Mine was, indeed, a better weekend than the last. Although, let’s face it, the bar was set pretty low. That said, my weekend included some pretty good moments. There was a great night out with friends during which we consumed several Mai Tais and copious amount of sushi. Yay. There was also a fun family game night of Monopoly and Racko that was enhanced by a delicious roast pork dinner cooked by yours truly.

And, of course, there was knitting. I finally tackled a project that’s been on my mind for ages. I fixed the button bands on my Twist sweater. Now, I never told you about this and it wasn’t even something I noticed when I first finished the sweater. Over time, though, those button bands just got way too ruffly and I stopped wearing the sweater. When I reorganized the craft room a few months back I found 2 extra skeins of the Peace Fleece I used for this and I decided I might as well attempt a fix. Since I considered it unwearable I really didn’t have anything to lose.

So, on Friday I ripped off the collar and left and right button bands. I spent the rest of Friday picking up and reknitting the button bands with about 14 less stitches than I originally had. On Saturday and Sunday I knit the collar and sewed the buttons back on.

And I think it’s a great fix. I don’t have pictures but I’m wearing it today and there’s nary a ruffle in sight.

I told you it was a better weekend.

Dale and I picked out this bouquet of tulips on our trip to the grocery store last week, right before I got sick. At the time we didn’t know they’d be adorning my sick room but I sure am glad we got them because they really brightened those days for me.

Here’s to a better – and healthier! – weekend for all of us!

I have one last finished knit from 2010 to show you. I wasn’t really holding out on you, it’s just that it hadn’t been delivered to the recipient yet. Or should I say, the recipient hadn’t yet been delivered?

Indulge me for a moment and all will become clear.

The cuteness and charm of a Baby Surprise Jacket is well documented.

The garter stitch makes it squooshy and the simplicity of the design really showcases a beautifully dyed yarn, like this one from Spunky Eclectic.

The buttons, in this case antique ones from my grandmother’s button box, are it’s only adornment, which only furthers to promote the cuteness.

That said, no matter how cute a Baby Surprise Jacket is, a baby is cuter.

Presenting, Miss Madison, the darling and gorgeous granddaughter of my dear friend, JessaLu. And the recipient of this particular Baby Surprise Jacket.

(photo taken by her dear granny)

People — she wore this sweater home from the hospital.

I’m all verklempt.

Dale and I have a long standing tradition of going away for the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. It started back in 1997 when we went to the Cape together to celebrate our engagement and I think we’ve managed to get away just about every year since. The last few years we have gone to Florida to visit the kids but that didn’t work out this year, for various reasons. We had planned, instead, on going up to Freeport, ME, but then my dear friend from college contacted me and told me about a tweet-up in Ogunquit at the Beachmere Inn. I told her, I don’t tweet much, but she said that was irrelevant and we were welcome to join in on the group rate. So we made the plan and on Friday we headed north.

It started out as a wonderful day. We had a delicious lunch at a taco spot in Kittery, drove a bit up the coast to check out the sea ducks, and then arrived at the inn. Our room, a suite with king-sized bed, a beautiful living room and spectacular ocean views, was lovely. We settled in and then headed out to pick up some supplies – cheese & crackers, beer, snacks, and the like.

By the time we got back from our jaunt to the grocery store I was just not feeling like myself. I tried to ignore it and made myself a martini. I took two sips and didn’t touch it again. (I’ll let that settle in for those of you who know me well.) Within minutes I was in the bathroom puking my guts out. And unmentionable things were happening on the other end, too. I continued to “throw and go” every 30 minutes from 7pm until 2am. Good times, my friends.

Saturday morning I dragged myself out of bed and managed to shower and get dressed to have breakfast with my friend, Chrissie, and her boyfriend Tony. I fought back nausea and exhaustion but I don’t think anyone was the wiser and we did have a lovely visit. I spent the afternoon back in bed, napping and resting, while Dale watched an old black and white movie out in the living room. I actually felt pretty good when I woke up but it didn’t last long and I just couldn’t muster the strength to think about dinner or food. Dale went out and bought me a box of saltines and a pastrami sandwich for himself. We watched a movie together (well, he watched and I half watched/half slept) and I went back to bed at 10pm.

Sunday morning I felt much better and had a more pleasant breakfast and visit. Dale wanted to visit Kittery Trading Post on the way home and I was fine with that so long as I could just sit and knit while he shopped. I did and he did and we made it home in time for the Patriot’s game. I made some homemade chicken and rice soup and that also helped with the healing of my body but the football game did nothing to make me feel better, I can tell you that.

Monday I felt mostly better and we spent the day bringing Hannah back to college. She is happily ensconced there and we are adjusting to our home without her. I still miss her but it’s much easier this time, and having the house to ourselves again is a nice change.

The romantic weekend away we had planned was certainly a bust! My husband is a great sport, though, and he never complained once. Not when we couldn’t go out to dinner. Not when we couldn’t do any sightseeing or walking around the town. Not when I spent most of the weekend either in the bathroom or asleep. Not even when he caught the virus from me and got sick himself – with a much milder case, thank goodness.

I owe him a do-over on this weekend, that’s for sure.

I was sitting in front of the laptop yesterday morning and I looked up at Dale and Hannah and sighed and said, “I need a topic for Ten on Tuesday.” Hannah thought for about half a second and said, Ten Favorite Games from your Childhood. Perfect and just the thing for the cold wintry days of January.

1. Life. It was long and fun and I always wanted the highest paying career with the largest number of kids.
2. Aggravation. This was our favorite game to play as a family. We took great relish and sending each other back “home” to start over. I’m sure Freud would have a field day with what deeper meaning behind that.
3. Mouse Trap. I was actually too young for this one but I loved to watch my brothers play.
4. Kerplunk. Pick up sticks, but with marbles. And it was noisy which made it all the more fun.
5. Monopoly. My brother always won and I can’t help but wonder if that’s why he grew up to be a slumlord. Ha!
6. Chinese checkers. This was my mom’s favorite so we played it a lot.
7. Operation. You hit my funny bone!
8. Risk. We would play this on vacation and make it go on for days.
9. Clue. Colonel Mustard in the ballroom with the candlestick.
10. And, for Dale, Racko. I actually never played this is a kid but it was a favorite of Dale’s and we all play it now. The new cards don’t have the numbers in opposite corners, though, and we just can’t get used to that.

This was fast and fun. I hope you all enjoyed it, too.